Cotton-harvesting machine.



No- 828,264. PATENTED AUG. '7, 1906.

J. F. APPLEBY.

COTTON HARVESTING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1906 6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wi s J64 jivefiifik W.) 4

PATENTED AUG; 7, 1906.

4 LP. AYPPLEBY. COTTON HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1906.

5 sums-sum 2. I

w 4 5 M 7 Q0 8 1 1 g V v a W m Mfl WW m 4 v 4 V U0 M 0/ o 4 4 w 0 w W. 0 MW fl No. 828,264. PATENTED AUG. '7, 1906.

J. P. APPLEBY.

COTTON HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION TILED JAN. 8, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. O- 828,264- PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

J.. P. APPLEBY. COTTON HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 8, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 828,264. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

T J. P. APPLEBY.

COTTON HARVESTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAE.8, 1906 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

III II II IIIHIIN UNITED srarns PATENT oFFIoE.

JOHN F. APPLEBY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DIXIE ooTroN PIOKER 00., OF REDFIELD, SOUTH DAKOTA.

SOUTH DAKOTA, A CORPORATION 'OF COTTON-=HARVESTING MACHINE.

my divisions of this application, Serial No.

311,591, filedApril 13, 1906, and Serial No. 311,592, filed April 13, 190

In operating cotton-picking machines in the field I have discovered that a serious impediment to the effectiveness of the picking mechanism is present because of the readiness with which the picking-fingers. would gather foreign material, such as sap or moisture, that would impair the efficiency of the fingers, and I know of no practical machine prior to the conception of my present invention that included means-whereby the foreign matter could be sufficiently prevented from impairing the efficiency of the picking mechanism in this regard.

It has been proposed to employ brushes whose function it was to remove such foreign material-after it had found lodgment upon the picking-fingers but upon reflection it will be apparent that the brushes would not long perform the service for which they were intended, because in the course of a short time the brushes themselves would become clogged tently, the brushes being normally out of the path of the picking-fingers and only swung into the path of the picking-fingers when the fingers were to be freed of accumulated. foreign matter. The adjustment of the [brushes was manually accomplished, and

such adjustment was effected when it suited the discretion of the operator of the particular machine. It will be seen that even though the brushes for a time were instrumental in performing their functions that the ti me these Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed nuary 8. 1906. Serial No. 295.100.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

functions were performed wholly depended upon the intelligence and discretion of the man in charge of the machine, and he having many other duties to perform would in many cases not be likely to notice the need of a finger-cleaning operation until the pickingfingers became so clogged as to be ineffective for further picking.

It is one of the main objects of my invention to provide a preventive for the condition spoken of, to which end I do not employ any cleaning-brushes, which in themselves have to be cleaned from time to time, but I employ means for placing the pickingfingers in a condition that will prevent the lodgment of the hurtful foreign material or so modify the action of this foreign material that it will not cause the picking-fingers to fail in their purpose.

In practicing my invention I employ a material which when applied to the picking-fingers will permit the cotton to be properly.

stripped from the fingers, such material either preventing the permanent lodgment of the deleterious foreign matter upon the picking. fingers or so modifying the action of such foreign matter that the latter material will not tend to hold the cotton in place upon the fingers. The material that I prefer to employ for the purpose is oil, the particular kind of oil being preferably kerosene, and I provide a device whereby this kerosene is placed upon the fingers. This device preferably includes a receptacle for the material to be applied to the fingers and a conveyer leading.

from the receptacle toward the fingers, which conveyer desirably contacts with the fingers in effecting the application of the ,material thereto, this conveyer desirably passively transferring the kerosene or oil to the pick- 'ing-fingers without appreciably brushing or scra ing any lodged foreign material from the ngers. In the operation of the harves, ter in the fields the coating is preferablyapplied after the fingers have been stripped of their cotton and before the entry of the fingers into the bushes. The conveyer in the machine is desirably formed of ordinary wicks that project into the oil-receptacle and which extend between the rows of picking fingers and canvas upon which the wicks rest, the canvas being slit in the planes of movement of the picking-fingers, so that assaid showing particu fingers are bodily moved they pass through the slits in the canvas, the canvas thereupon effecting the application of the oil to the fingers. The contact of the conveyer upon the fingers is extremely light, so that no appreciable additional mechanical load is imposed upon the machine.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the oil or other suitable material is coated upon the picking-fin ers while the machine is operating in the fitfid, though obviously such material may be applied before the machine is picking cotton.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawlngs, illustrating one of the embodiments thereof, the embodiment illustrated being that which is referred.

n the drawings, Fi re 1 is a plan view illustrating so much o ihe mechanism as is necessary to an understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 isa view from the front of part of the mechanism entering into the machine. Fig. 3 is a view in plan of a part of the mechamsm. Fi 4 is a longitudinal section in elevation i lustrating certain arts of the machine. Fig. 5 is a view in p an, illustrating the oiling device. Fi 6 is a view in sectional elevation of the oiling device. Fig. 7 is an end view of the oiling device. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a ortion of the oilingdevice,

i arly the support for the wickmg. Fig. 9 is aview, partia lyin section,

illustrating the packing mechanism. Fig. 10

is a detail view of the alarm mechanism. Fig. 11 is a view illustrating the clutching mechanism.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the difierent figures.

The' icking, stripping, and cleaning mechanism ereinafter to be particularly specified is mounted within a casing or housing 1, that desirably has a porch 2, upon which a basket 3, that is to receive the picked cotton, is placed.- A skirt or gatherer formed in two sides 6 is provided at the base of the casing for the purpose of laterally gathering the cotton-bushes to be within range of the pick ing mechanism to be described. An apron7 is mounted at the front of the machine a sufficient distance above the bottom edges of the skirt or gatherer to depress the bushes to a uniform level, and a substantially horizontal grate 8, composed of longitudinally-disposed bars, is continued'from the lower margin of the a ron 7 rearwardly, so that the level to which the bushes have been depressed may be maintained during the picking operation. A single pair 0 tractlonwheels 9 9 is desirably only employed, upon whichthe casing is mounted in a manner to be hereinafter set forth.

In order that the casing, together with the grate 8, the picking mechanism, and other Links 13 are anchored to the casing and terminate at their free ends in hooks that 2 pass through arms 14, that are rigidly secured to ashaft 15, the shaft being journal'ed in bearings 16, that are mounted upon a crossgirder 17, stationary with respect to the axle. A hand-lever 18 is rigidly secured to the shaft 15, desirably at one end of said shaft, this hand-lever carrying a locking-detent 19, a detent-rod 20, and a grip 21, which may be operated to actuate the rod 20 to release the locking-detent 19 from the locking quadrant or rack 22, this releasing action being effected against the force of a spring 23, provided normally to hold the detent and uadrant in looking relation. By rotating t e lever 18 the links 13 may be elevated and lowered to effect the corresponding elevation or depression of the casing. In order that physical effort may be reduced in raising and lowering the casing, I desirably provide a spring mechanism that exerts a lifting action when the locking detent 19 is disengaged from the quadrant 22.

cos 24, of strong steel rod, which thus constitute coiled springs, one coiled spring terminating'in a hook 25, While the companion coiled springterminates in an eye 26. A tension adjusting-rod 27 terminates at one end in an eye by which said rod is engaged This spring mechanism desirably includes two oppositely-wound heliwith the hook 25, the other end of the rod 27 having threaded thereupon an adjusting-nut, the threaded end of the rod 27 passing 'through the eye 26, the nut serving to adjust the space between the portions 25 26. The coiled springs are wound about cores 28, that are carried by the girder 17, and each coiled spring has an outwardly-extending hook 29, t at is connected with a link 20, attached at its lower end to the casing.

It will be seen that when the elements 19 22 are separated the casing is carried by the coiled springs 24 by reason of the engagement of the portions 29 of said springs with the links 20, so that the operator, who may remain upon his seat, may have little difficulty in raising or lowering the casing. The extent to which the springs 24 counteract the weight of the-casing is determined by the adjustment effected by the adjusting device 27.

The picking, stri V ping, and cleaning mechanism is operated rom a main shaft 30, that is driven by the sprocketears 31, located at its outer ends and rotate by the-sprocketchains 32, operated by the sprocket-wheels 33, there being one such sprocket-wheel 33 directly coupled and coaxial with each traction-wheel.

In order that the single shaft may be in driven connection with both tractionwheels and at the same time permit one of the traction-wheels to move faster than the other, as in making turns, the said shaft 30' is made in sections united by a differential gear 34.

A third s rocket-wheel 35 may constitute the frame t at carries the gears 36, that form component parts of the gearing 34, in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art, for it is by such an arrangement that said sprocket wheel 35 may be rotated through the agency of both sections of the shaft 30 whether said sections are rotating at the same or different speeds. The sprocketwheel 35. drives a sprocket chain 37, that in turn rotates a sprocket-gear 38, which directly causes the operation of the picking, stripping, and cleaning mechanism, as will be described.

As hitherto stated, the sprocket-wheel 38 is the direct cause of the operation of the pickers, strippers, and cleaners, the shaft 39 directly operating the picking mechanism, as

will be specified, the sprocket-gear 40 upon Jsaid shaft 39 operating the sprocket-chain 41, that in turn rotates the sprocketear 45, mounted upon a shaft 43, upon whic shaft are fixed the strippers 44. Where cleaners are employed, the shaft 43 may have mounted thereon a sprocket-wheel 42, that operates the sprocket-chain 46, which sprocket-chain causes the rotation of a sprocket-wheel 47, fixed upon a shaft 48, uponwhich shaft are also fixed cleaning elements 49 in the form of wheels, one for each stripping-c linder slot. The cotton that is picked an cleaned is passed through an opening 50 into the basket below the openin The apron 50 holds the cotton in the pat of the packer. The cotton when it reaches a suitable height in the basket is packed by the packing-spiral 52, which is rotated by a shaft 53, that is flexibly coupled by the flexible joint 54 witha sleeve 55, movable back and forth upon and rotating with a shaft 56, that carries a bevel-gear 57, adapted to mesh with the bevel-gear 58, splined upon the driving shaft 30. The shaft 53 works within a sleeve 59, that is anchored and held at 60 upon the porch 4, said shaft being longitudinally movable in said sleeve 59, so that the packing-spiral may be thrust upward as the cotton within the basket is being packed, the packing-spiral thereby automatically accomodating ltself to the changing level of the cotton. When sufficient cotton hasbeen packed within the basket, the packing-spiral 52 is-raised by the gathered cotton to such an extent that the collar 61, fast upon the shaft 53, engages the may accommodate itself to this operation it is provided with a hub extension 65, which is ca able of rotation about the shaft 30 as the sliaft 56 is raised and lowered. It will be seen that the packing-spiral is operated by the shaft 30, and therefore by the vehicle wheels of the machine.

I do not deem it necessary herein to specifically describe the construction and operation of the picking mechanism, stripping mechanism, and the cleanin mechanism, as such mechanism is preferab y that disclosed in my patent of the United States of America numbered 798,651, dated September 5, 1905.

Whenever it is desired to stop the operation of the packing mechanism, picking,

stripping, and cleaning mechanism, I desirably employ a clutch mechanism. (Illustrated very clearly in Fig. 11.) The shaft 30 is provided with splines 66 67 which force the rotation of the clutch-collar 68 and the bevelpinion 58. The clutch-collar 68 when in its outermost position engages a companion clutch element 69, that determines the operother, I employ two links 71 72 and a handle 8 73, to which said links are pivoted at different places, said handle when in the position shown-in Fig. 11 drawing the elements 58 68 toward each other against the action of the spring 70. When the handle 73 is reversed in position, as shown in Fig. 1, the spring 70 acts to thrust the elements 58 68 apart for the purpose specified. In order that neither element 58 68 may be moved too far when the handle 73 is being placed in the position shown in Fi 11 and in order that the disengagement 0 both of said elements from their companions may be insured, I provide lugs 74 75, that limit the inward movement of said elements.

I prefer to place the coating of kerosene or other suitable material upon the pickingfingers While they are being bodily moved, but also while they are not rotating about their individual axes, though I do not wish to be limited to the location of the oiling device. As oil is the material that I prefer to place upon the fingers to maintain the fingers in condition to pick the cotton, I employ an oilreceptacle 76, that is mounted upon the inner faces of the side walls of the casing, this receptacle being desirably in the form'of an elongated box or trough which is provided with stub-shafts 77, contained within bearings 78, set-screws 79 being employed to'hold the receptacle 76 in any position to which it may be turned .in its bearings. The receptacle 76 has an opening 80, into which strips of wicking 81 project, these strip's'of wicking being supported by a plate 82, that is provided with slots 83,'located in the planes of movement of the picking-fingers, the Wicking resting upon the portions of the plate 82 between the said slots 83. The wicking constitutes a conveyer for the oil; but in order that the flow of the oil may not be too copious I supplement the kind of wicking usually found upon the market with-a sheet of canvas 84, which constitutes a part or continuation of the Wickin this strip of canvas being slit at 85 in the p anes of movement of the pickingfingeis, (the slits 85 lying midway between the sides of the correspondin slots 83,) so that as the picking-fingers bo ily move they may pass through the slits and in passing they sufiiciently coat the fingers with oil for the purpose that has been hitherto specified.- The oil is thus placed upon the fingers by 0011- tact with the wicking, (preferably composed of the portions 81 84', that have been specified,) though I do "not wish to be limited to the form of conveyer 81 84 employed in transferring the oil from the receptacle to the fingers. The trou h or receptacle 76 is desirably mounted a ovethe strippin mechanism 44, and the wicking desira ly slopes downwardly and forwardly in such a direction that the picking-fingers 86' as they pass through the slits 85 are substantially parallel to the plane occupied by the wicking, where by substantially the entire length of each held from such rotation during the major portion of the balance of their travel..

In the claims I speak of coating or otherwise applying the oil to the cottonpicking fin ers, meaning thereby, of course, that the oi (or other material) is applied to portions of the fingers that project into the cotton-plants.

While I have herein shown the adaptation of my invention to the type of machine disclosed in my aforesaid patent and have herein illustrated preferred embodiments of various features 0 the invention, I do not wish to be limited to the construction shown, as changes may readily be made therein without geparting from the spirit of the invention;

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer serving to contact with the fingers, thereby to apply the oil thereto, said conveyer including wickin projecting into the oil in the receptacle, sai

wickin' being slit in the planes of movement of the gers, the fingers passing through the slits in said conveyer, the portion of the wicking that is slit being formed of canvas, and a plate supporting the wicking, said plate being slotted in the planes of movement of the fingers. l

2. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer including Wicking projecting into the oil in the receptacle,

said wicking being slit in the planes of movement of the fingers, the fingers passing through the slits in said conveyer, the portion of the wicking that is slit being formed of canvas, and a plate supporting the wicking,

said plate being slotted in the ment of the fingers.

3. A cotton-picking machine including eotplanes of moveton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, a con- I veyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer serving to contact with the fingers, thereby to apply the oil thereto, said conveyer including wickin projecting into the oil in the rece tacle, sai wicking being-slit in the planes 0 movement of the fingers, the fingers assing through the slits in said conveyer, and a plate supporting the wicking, said plate being slotted in the planes of movement of the fingers.

4L A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer including wicking projecting into the oil in the receptacle,

said wicking being slit in the planes of movement of the fingers, the fingers passing through the slits in said conveyer, and a plate supporting the wicking, said plate being slotted in the planes of movement of the fingers.

A cotton-picking machine including cot- 1 and ton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer servin to contact with the fingers, thereby to apply the oil thereto, said conveyer including wicking projecting into the oil in the receptacle, and a plate supporting the wicking, said plate being slotted in the planes of movement of the fingers.

6. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer including wicking projecting into the oil in the receptacle, and a late supporting the wicking, said plate being slotted in the planes of movement of the fingers.

7. A cotton-picking machine including cot ton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and a conveyer leading the oil from. the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer tact with the fingers, thereby to apply oil thereto, said conveyer including wicking proj ectinginto the oil in the receptacle, said wicking being slit in the planes of movement of the fingers, the fingers passing through the slits in said conveyer, the portion of the wicking that is slit being formed of canvas.

8. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer including wicking projecting into the oil in the receptacle, said wicking being slit in the planes of movement of the fingers, the fingers passing through the slits in said conveyer, the

ortion of the wicking that is slit being ormed of canvas.

9. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, contact with the fingers, thereby to apply the oil thereto, said conveyer including wickin projecting into the oil in the wicking being slit in the planes of movement of the fingers, the fingers passing through the slits in said conveyer.

10. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer including wicking projecting into the oil in the receptacle, said wicking being slit in the planes of movement of the fingers, the fingers passing through the slits in said conveyer.

11. A cottonpicking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conve er servin'gto contact with the fingers, there y to apply the oil thereto, said conveyor including wiclking projecting into the oil in the receptac e.

serving to con said conveyer serving to receptacle, sai

.12. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer ineluding wicking projecting into the oil in the receptacle.

13. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and a conveyer for leading the oil from the receptacle to the fingers, said conveyer serving to contact with the fingers, thereby to apply the oil thereto.

14. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and a conveyer for leading. the oil from the receptacleto the fingers.

15. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and means for coating the oil upon the fingers.

16. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, and means for applying material carried by the machine to said fingers, v

17. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil. and a device for applying said oil to the fingers.

18. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle, and a device for transferring material from said re-' ceptacle to the fingers.

19. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and wicking for transferring the oil to the fingers, said fingers engaging substantially throughout their length said wicking in the movement of said fingers, whereby the fingers are coated with oil.

20. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and wicking for transferring the oil to the fingers, said fingers engaging said wicking in the movement of said fingers, whereby the fingers are coated with oil.

21. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and wicking for transferring the oil to the fingers, said fingers engaging substantially throughout their length said wicking in the movement of said fingers, whereby the fingers are coated with oil, said wicking being slit in the-planes of move'mentof said fingers to efi'ect the application of the wicking to the fmgers.

222. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, a receptacle for oil, and wicking for transferring the oil to the fingers, said fingersengaging said wicking in the movement of said fingers, whereby the fingers are coated with oil, said wick ng being slit in the planes oi movement of said fingers to efl ect the application of the wicking to the fingers.

23. A cotton-picking machine including picking-fingers, and a conveyer for transferring material carried by the machine to said wieking being. slit in the planes and paths of movement of the fingers.

25. A cotton-picking machine including cotton-picking fingers, and Wicking contacting with the fingers.

26. A cotton-picking machine including eetton-pickjng fingers, and a. device for ap- I m name this 29th day of December, A. D. 1905.

JOHN F. APPLEBY.

Witnesses G. L. ORAGG, W. B. STONE. 

